


Consequence of Fate

by ThreeKnivesInAWineGlass



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Magical Realism, Supernatural Elements, Trust Issues, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 13:53:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18012161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeKnivesInAWineGlass/pseuds/ThreeKnivesInAWineGlass
Summary: “Kiss any werewolves recently?”Seungcheol’s posture goes rigid as he answers, “No.”Junhui’s fingers twitch.





	Consequence of Fate

**Author's Note:**

> Presently a one shot but likely to be developed further at some point.
> 
> Author’s disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters I write about are based off of real people but are by no means intended to represent real people; the personalities I write are inferred from public personas and should not be taken as accurate portrayals of their real world counterparts.
> 
> I’ve been around enough to see people confusing fiction with reality, so before you read my story, I implore you to recognize these as characters, not celebrities. Please don’t project what you read in stories onto real people. Please respect real people.
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy my fic.

Nothing puts Junhui in a better mood than a good storm on the horizon. He can feel the electricity in the air, making every breath he takes feel a little wild and his fingers twitch. The static almost seems to whisper, telling him that something more than just a lot of rain is coming.

A shiver runs down his spine when the bell above his door jingles, and he looks up from the crystal ball in front of him to meet eyes with a man. Junhui is immediately struck by his appearance, though not quite in a way he would have liked. The man looks terrible, with dark circles under his eyes that are only exaggerated by the large blue scarf and oversized gray sweater he’s wearing. It also doesn't help that both look rather old and worn out.

Junhui sees the man’s lips move - and wow, are they pale - but he has to pull himself out of his head to hear what he’s saying. “Can I get a reading?”

“Cards or palm?” Junhui asks. Then he quickly adds, “Card readings are more exact. Palm reading is broader and less specific.”

The man pulls out the chair across from Junhui and says, “Cards.”

Junhui doesn’t think to mention payment before moving his crystal ball aside and fishing his deck out of his pocket. Something about this man tells Junhui that there’s more important things afoot than a new twenty in his wallet.

He knocks the cards out of their little box with a fluid flick of his wrist and hands them to the man, saying, “You have to shuffle them yourself. Just do it until you feel like stopping, and if you have a specific question, keep it at the front of your mind while you shuffle.”

The man sniffles as he fumbles with the cards in his hands, and Junhui lets that be the only sound to accompany the wind outside until the cards are set in front of him again. Then he asks, “Rough day?”

With a clipped laugh, the man says, “Yeah.”

Junhui stares down at the cards for a moment before glancing up to the man again and asking, “Would you mind giving me your name? I’ve found that it helps with accuracy if I’m on a first name basis with my clients.”

The man hesitates for a brief moment before saying, “Uh, right, okay. It’s Seungcheol.”

“Alright, Seungcheol, if you had a question, keep it in your mind a little longer.” Junhui picks up the deck and spreads the cards out, offering them to Seungcheol once they resemble a fan. “Now pick anywhere from one to ten cards.”

More hesitation. Seungcheol’s hand hovers over the cards for longer than practically any other client Junhui’s ever had, until he finally picks four cards in rapid succession.

Folding up the rest of the deck and setting it aside, Junhui takes the cards from Seungcheol and lays them in a line across the table, saying, “Not all readings are linear, but some can be, so I want you to pick a side for me to start from.”

Seungcheol quickly points to the left side and Junhui mumbles a quiet, “Okay.”

Reaching for the leftmost card, Junhui’s fingers twitch and he freezes. That’s never happened before. Glancing up at Seungcheol, he’s simply met by dark eyes riddled with anxiety. He doesn’t seem like a magic user.

Shaking his head slightly, Junhui brings his focus back to the cards. He flips over the leftmost one and hums when he sees the seven of diamonds. “Earthly chance.”

“What does that mean?” Seungcheol asks, and his tone makes Junhui’s fingers twitch again.

“The seven of diamonds is the most unstable card in the whole deck. On its own, it could mean anything from meeting a stray cat to being in an accident,” Junhui says. Then he looks up and adds, “The suit of diamonds is inherently vague and often relies on the other three to make its message clear.”

Seungcheol’s hands are clasped under his chin, with his fingers gripping the edges of his sleeves and his elbows propped up on the table as he looks between Junhui and the cards. From this close, his eyes almost look panicked, especially when they jump to track Junhui’s hand as it moves to flip the next card.

Even as his hand moves, Junhui feels compelled to watch Seungcheol’s expression. There’s something about him that calls to Junhui, makes it so he can only look away once the next card is overturned, revealing the two of spades. Interesting.

“Supernatural union.” Hoping to ease the tension that’s steadily filling the room, Junhui quirks an eyebrow and asks, “Kiss any werewolves recently?”

Seungcheol’s posture goes rigid as he answers, “No.”

Junhui’s fingers twitch.

“Right,” he drawls, slowly reaching for the next card. He turns it over and sees the ten of spades. “Supernatural gain.” The feeling that Seungcheol is hiding something starts to wash over Junhui, and he clears his throat before turning his attention to the last card.

He tries to flip it slowly, but as his fingertip slides under the edge of the paper, his hand jerks and sends the card flying, as well as his crystal ball crashing to the floor.

“Fuck!” Junhui shouts, pulling his hand in to his chest. That has  _ definitely _ never happened before.

“I am so sorry,” Seungcheol starts saying. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

Looking up, Junhui sees Seungcheol covering his face with his hands, the sleeves of his sweater falling down his arms and putting the numerous scratches and puncture wounds across them on display.

Quickly glancing down at the table again, Junhui spots the last card, and his fingers twitch one more time as he registers it as the four of clubs - the primal self. Things start clicking into place in Junhui’s mind and he blanks on what to do. People talk about what to do when you witness an owlbear attack, see a wisp, or encounter a poltergeist, but no one ever says what to do when you find a vampire’s thrall.

Junhui is so not prepared for this.

**Author's Note:**

> Art is only complete once it has been witnessed. Want to help finish a story? Leave a comment. If you have a thought after reading a fic, tell the author about it. Comments motivate, inspire, and please us immensely - like a cat getting pats. So spread a little goodness, support your fandom authors and leave a comment to let them know you see their work.


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